Mexican Women Conquer Archery Podium at Paris 2024

History in its purest form is what archers Alejandra Valencia, Ana Vázquez and Ángela Ruiz achieved by obtaining the first Olympic medal in history for Mexico in the women's team event, after winning the bronze medal in Paris 2024.

The "City of Light" was illuminated with the shine of the metal that the national trident won after defeating the Dutch Gaby Schloesser (of Mexican origin and Aztec representative in Rio 2016), Quinty Roeffen and Laura Van Der Winkel 6-2, in a match that was balanced at the beginning, but that in the end was painted green, white and red.

Valencia, Vázquez and Ruiz, who turned 18 on this day, won a medal that will go down in the golden pages of Mexican sport at the grand event, since Los Angeles 1932, Mexico has won at least one medal in each of the summer events it has attended.

Likewise, this Olympic medal is the 74th overall for the country, the 37th bronze and the 20th in events corresponding to the women's branch, in addition to being the fourth that this discipline gives to the nation after the silver of Aída Román and the bronze of Mariana Avitia in London 2012, as well as the third place of Valencia herself with Luis Álvarez in mixed teams in Tokyo 2020.

The Sonoran, current world runner-up, is now the fourth Mexican woman to win multiple medals and joins a select group of legends made up of María del Rosario Espinoza, Paola Espinosa and Alejandra Orozco.

The Germans and current world champions, Michelle Kroppen, Katharina Bauer and Charline Schwarz, were the first big challenge of the day in the quarterfinals; it is worth remembering that this nation beat the Mexicans in the semifinals of the Berlin 2023 World Championship and the quarterfinals in Tokyo 2020, so it was the opportunity to take revenge on their own continent.

The first episode was complicated for both tridents, since the wind caused complications in their throws, which was reflected in the low scores of 50 to 50 that gave one unit to each team.

The nationals adjusted better to the weather conditions and took the second episode by a score of 55 to 49, and gave the finishing blow in a final set full of drama that went to the Aztecs due to a spectacular arrow of 10 by Ana Paula Vázquez, which marked the final score of 5-1.

The "tricolor" team did not have the best of starts in the semifinal against Yang Xiaolei, Li Jiaman and An Qixuan, from China, a country they defeated 6-0 at the Berlin 2023 World Cup, and which won the first set 53 to 47 in the French capital.

The national archers secured the second set 55 to 52 even before their rivals shot the second round. Despite this performance, the Asians came out dominant and made it to the grand final by taking the third set 56 to 48 and equalizing in the last 55 to 55 to take over the scoreboard 5-3.

In the decisive match to make history, precision and poise were the main characteristics of the team, since after the Dutch tied at two points, they triumphed in the third set and signed a spectacular victory with three consecutive arrows of perfect qualification, which assured them their presence on the podium.

The Olympic archers' activity will continue tomorrow with the men's team, made up of Matías Grande, Javier Rojas and Bruno Wing, who will compete in the round of 16 against their Japanese counterparts.

The work of the three of them made us part of the sporting history of Mexico: Alejandra Valencia

After winning the bronze medal in the women's team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the national archery team member Alejandra Valencia highlighted the hard work that she, Ana Paula Vázquez and Ángela Ruiz, carried out to place themselves in the history of Mexican sport.

The team led by coach Miguel Ángel Flores achieved the feat together on Sunday, which took place on the majestic esplanade of Les Invalides in the French capital, where the Mexicans climbed onto the podium in front of an audience that did not stop cheering in unison for the 'Cielito Lindo', despite the sun that scorched the city this afternoon.

The Sonoran emphasized that more than leading the national trio, it is a balance that has led to their successes and that today they write their names, which also represents the debut of Ángela Ruiz and the second Olympic appointment of Ana Paula Vázquez.

“More than leading, it was about making the three of us work in harmony, having confidence in each other's work, moving forward because, just as I have experience, they have youth, they also teach me many things,” she commented.

“The work of the three of us is what achieved this moment, this historic medal for Mexico because it is the first one won in a women's team archery competition, we are part of the history of our country, and I am very happy to be part of this team because we can give more,” she added.

For Alejandra Valencia, this bronze represents the second consecutive one after what she achieved in Tokyo 2020 in a mixed team alongside Luis Álvarez, so she said she would like to go searching for gold in the next edition.

“This medal means a lot to me because it is the second Olympic medal, we worked hard to achieve it, we knew we could do it, we know that in the next ones we can go for the gold, and we are going to continue working for that,” she said.

“I thank all the Mexicans involved who made it possible for us to be here at this moment because, even if it is a grain of sand that they gave in our path, it is what makes us able to be here right now with this on our necks,” she added.

On August 1, she will continue her journey individually through Paris 2024 when she faces the American Jennifer Muciño-Ferrnández in the round of 32.